I'm fed up with my job, how can I make a career change?

Q - I am totally fed up with my current job, and feel trapped because I earn a good salary. How can I start to make a complete career change?

A - You are not alone. Many of us follow a career path that we think will make us happy and successful, only to realise that we have taken the wrong path. Firstly, work out what is the bare minimum income that you can survive on, what would be comfortable and what is ideal - this will be key when looking at new careers. Next take some time to reflect on your strengths and the areas of your current work that you enjoy. What is it about your job that you don’t like? Also think about what you like to do in your spare time, is there a career opportunity there? Are you happy working for someone else or do you want your own business? Then you can look at alternative careers - start with those that you are instinctively attracted to, and do some research to find out how closely they match your needs. If you find something that appeals, the first step is to ‘re-brand’ yourself so that people know your aspirations. Change that Linked In profile, network with people you want to work with - always being cognisant not to affect your current career until you are ready to make the move.